Tag Archives: Matthew 24

Jesus went to the garden knowing what was to come. Are we willing to see darkness released as God said it would be and are we willing to initiate the series of events that will afterward bring Jesus back for us? How we will be protected as we wait? Exit Strategy tells us how.

This book points to a prophecy that Jesus spoke that obviously has been hidden until now. You will agree when you see it. This is NOT about claiming some day or hour! For centuries, we have misinterpreted the verse in question and we were supposed to! All these years, God used our current understanding to gather and reconcile uncountable numbers to Himself, but reconciliation is only the beginning; making our eventual salvation possible.

Now Jesus is addressing the end (of this life), redirecting us to the saving love He has shown us. Now in the face of the most challenging of times ahead, times that will ravage the faith of many, God is showing us specifically what will guard our hearts and faith until our death or His return. He is saying we will not die eternally and He is returning!

We were purchased with a price. God continues to invest us to save others, the very worst of them, rewarding us on the other side of the narrow gate. It is our salvation to remember we were once like them and in remembering, we still have the Father’s will and plan to obey. They need us to intercede for them, to be an example for them!

Many important facets to our survival are addressed in this book. Of course I am promoting it. He gave it to me for the church world-wide! God has shown the me many things over the past thirty-three years. They come together now “Holy-graphically.” Please, please set aside any thoughts of profiteering. That is a judgment that will cost you dearly.

This is a large book. Look through the index (blue) to focus on your initial interest but please try to read it all. Chapter 6.6 and the chapters in 8 deal with the cover topic specifically. As Christ was controversial so is this book. He did not always explain fully then but the Spirit is explaining now. Read until your skepticism is replaced with astonishment. We will all have to ask ourselves, “Am I a disciple of Christ Jesus or a Pharisee stuck in the clutches of tradition?”

The last chapters in 9 are directed to, I call them, the Five Fold League of Servants (FFLOS). God is looking to His “first stringers” to expedite this message, but God will use anyone willing.

Sid Roth’s “That’s Supernatural” program just had a man speaking to the Remnant of God. Wonderful testimony and inspiration. I believe his message is just one more piece of the puzzle that God has revealed to others. In Exit Strategy a more complete picture and plan is revealed. You will recognize some current beliefs and traditions that are now being set aside by God because His priorities have required it. They were once useful. They were not wrong. Now God’s plan demands our obedience and flexibility. His changes in our understanding will thwart the enemies plan. You will understand.

We the remnant, will be those who embrace the Exit Strategy of Christ as our own! We who initiate the return of Christ as we (by God’s grace) declare our readiness to willingly enter our own Garden of Gethsemane, the times of darkness. Others, less mature will follow our confidence, our convictions. We will rob the Devil of victims and glorify God just like Jesus did! Souls are in danger. Oh what a glorious task God has permitted us to attend to.

Preachers around the world have been expecting a great awakening. This is it. The truth of what lies ahead, although it is distressing, contains our means of escape! It is so simple it must be God in His mercy toward us. Please. I come to you in the Spirit of Daniel 12. The message was hidden intended for these times. It is a call to awaken those who claim to be His, to those willing and able to see the Father’s will in the coming times of darkness, to stand firm in that will!

Loved ones, successfully playing the part we must play in the darkness automatically includes us in the Dawn that follows. We can prepare for and survive the darkness with a hope unshakeable that others will cling to if we know our Exit Strategy!

Guard others as you have been guarded. Love all others as you have been loved!

I often sign off with, “He waits!” The Word says, “…that He may send Jesus the Christ appointed for you, whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke …” (Acts 3:21 NKJV, NASB Strong’s #G605 restoration)

In Exit Strategy , the Holy Spirit is showing us what…needs to be restored.

He (is still) waiting,

Michael

Exit Strategy

We initiate the return of Christ! (The E-book)

Barnes and Noble, Amazon Kindle, Kobo, many others and around the world.

Now we know “enduring love” is the message to be preached around the world, that our prayers will reflect our new-found understanding like a Shofar sounding its specific message. It will tell God we are ready to deal with the darkness after which at a time only He knows, He will send Jesus back.

We will deal with those believers who insist that Jesus did it all and they need nothing further. We can get their attention quickly if we ask them if they have unforgiveness against anyone? Silence will likely be their response unless they are daringly honest. To which you can ask, “Will there be any unforgiveness in heaven?” “Well…no!” will be their answer. This leaves the question, “Do they intend to smuggle it in?”

To this dilemma we should address obedience versus works. This too has been a hindrance to our moving forward in Christ. Jesus said something curious in John 14: 4-6.

“And you know the way where I am going.” Thomas said to Him, Lord we do not know where You are going , how do we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.”

“Through” is Strong’s G1223 “dia” the channel of an act.) Jesus is saying His Way, Truth and Life act as specific guides into eternity. What Way did He show us, what Truth did He teach us, what Life did we see Him receive after He exercised these guiding factors Himself? The signal of our favorite TV show comes on a specific channel by a specific signal. You cannot see it otherwise. Same with Jesus. He has established our channel, our “signal.” His Way is our only way to enter, to receive eternal life. A river is sometimes referred to as a channel. The banks of the river guides the flow very specifically. If there is a specific signal or river, I must be tuned in or floating in it, to get what or where it wants to take me. Jesus was referring to the “way” that characterized “where” He was going.

Thomas totally missed it. Jesus is saying do not be troubled you already know the road, the Way. There is no actual road to where Jesus went. The term was figurative, meaning mode or means. Jesus is saying I have taught you the Way of the place I am going to. You are already qualified through Me Thomas if you continue in the channel, the guidance of MY Way’s. They were not only the Words of eternal life, they are the ways of the kingdom where eternal life will be lived! They are the good news of the kingdom. The obedience of faith, will allow you to enter! (Romans 1:5)

To continue requires obedience. Reconciliation was given freely. Obedience is required to have life eternal. This fact will distress many. We ave heard it said, “Choose life.” To do so choose obedience and employ and deploy the grace sufficient to accomplish your goal, your departure into eternity.

In the early postings #3 I wrote about John 3:36 (NKJV, NASB) “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”

We also spoke to the using of the word “believe” twice in the KJV of this verse, and the confusion it brought since the Greek words mean something different than what we thought they meant. Check out that post # 3.

There are several scriptures involving obedience. Remember heaven has had one rebellion and there will NOT be another one. We are being tested to see if our impaired judgment (thanks to Adam and Eve) has been healed. This is proven by our obedience. Are our hearts given to Christ and His way, truth and life? In wisdom have we extended our view beyond the petty here and now to the wealth of God’s wisdom and the abundance of a love filled eternity? Without this vision, we perish.

Genesis 49:10 “…and to Him shall be the obedience of the peoples.”

Romans 1:5 ” …we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith…”

Romans 5:19 “…through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous.” (Christ was obedient how can we not be subject to the same discipline?)

Romans 6:16 “…as slaves for obedience, …either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?” ( death or life hinge upon obedience)

Romans 15:8 “except what Christ has accomplished through me, resulting in the obedience of the Gentiles by word and deed.” (Obedience triggers the blessing of Christ)

Romans 16:26 “…according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all nations, leading to obedience of faith.” (God has an expectation that we obey. Why should He not? The Son of Man was able, and He empowered us by our belief in His resurrection achieved by His obedience!)

Hebrews 5:8 “Thought He was a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which he suffered.”(If Him why not us?)

1 Peter 1:2 ” (we are the) Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: grace…” It takes three things and four actually. “God’s foreknowledge, a relationship with the Holy Spirit, sanctification to the point of obedience, and the blood of Jesus, without which we have nothing.

1Peter 22 “Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart,…” (the Truth told us what to do. Obedience, as we saw Him purify Himself, purifies us as He is pure.)

Leviticus 26:27-28 ” Yet in spite of this, you do not obey Me, but act with hostility against Me,..then I will…” (This is the same God who never changes. He is speaking of grace through Jesus in the New Testament so God only has to act if we totally refuse to obey. He is compelled to keep His Word.”)

Matthew 8:27 ” And the men marveled, saying, “What kind of a man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?” ( Again, if winds and sea obey, how can we not and why miss the blessing of directing our will towards the Fathers’ will? We have the same Father that Jesus lovingly obeyed. Resurrection life was His reward and that of those who would follow in like obedience.)

These are a few of many scriptures that can not be exempted from guiding our expected behavior. If creation obeys Him are we not also a member of creation? Has He not created us with an advantage over the wind and the sea. They have no will. They have no choice. We must choose and it is a fearful one should we …

A call to guard our fellow-man is sounding around the world. Guard as you are guarded.

His ways can not be forsaken or we shall be. It will not be His idea. It will be our own doing.

It is His grace that we are being reminded. The distress, we must embrace. It is a sign for us.

The Lord has spoken to my heart this morning instructing me to go ahead and tell you the Way we are to initiate the return of Christ. Urgency is what I am feeling. I felt I needed to build your understanding toward this fact so you could grasp it easier. Your heart will determine how receptive you are to these facts; to the part you will play in His return. You can read more later, in the book.

At the end of this post I will share a scripture pointing to our place in the time line of God.

In Matthew 24:3-23, Jesus speaks of the trials we can expect to go through. These are frightening things, threatening things, deceiving things. We will be hated by all nations because of Him. It is He that we will cling to and declare. This will convict people unto either salvation or damnation. Some will be those we would have called “saved.”

Set aside for the moment your position on the rapture and consider something that will matter, no matter when He comes for us.

In verse Matthew :10 it says, “And at that time many will fall away…” (to fall away you must have believed at some point.)

In verse 24: 12-13 it says, ” And because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end, he shall be saved.”

We shudder as we ask ourselves if we can endure the terrible forecast of Christ? We have trouble enduring the evening news without a curse if not from our lips, hidden in our hearts! Woe, woe, woe unto us. Lord please help us.

Everything we are seeing in life that provokes us to anger or unforgiveness is the plot of the enemy to capture us by having us violate the Word of God. What Word? The Word that set Jesus free and will set us free also. ” For if you forgive men for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.” Matthew 6:14 NASB (Read: The time has come #5 .)

“But God forgave me of my sins when I got saved!” Yes, He did; all the sins committed up to that point in your life. “This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed.” (Romans 3:25 NASB) From this point forward the Ways of Christ are to cover the sins we commit. Post 5 speaks to this but there is more to come.

So what does this have to do with initiating the return of Christ?

“This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the nations, and then the end shall come. (Matthew 24:14 NASB)

Alone this verse makes us think of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The get saved news of Jesus. That is not what it says. It says, “this gospel of the kingdom” and it is Jesus speaking to us. This, Jesus considers important enough to preach it to all the nations as a witness, as an initiator of the end! A witness? The world will have already heard, by this point in time, about Jesus. So what witness?

I believe clearly the witness being pointed to is the witness of enduring love. This is not any kind of love. This is death-defying Christ love, merciful interceding love. The kind of love that slams into our carnality like a freight train. Never-the less, it is what He is asking for, having set the standard.

For the nations to see this love as a witness, the church must hear it from pastors and witnesses who grasp the insight. It will be righteousness and eternal life to those who receive and implement the understanding. To others it will be everlasting contempt.

The obvious context of the verses leading to 24:14 is not about our beginning. It is about our ending! Context is critical. Jesus has not shifted topics. How we have missed this I do not know and I do not care. Now, God is pointing our way to His Way.

The word “this” is paramount as it describes what Jesus is calling the “gospel of the kingdom.” What is “this” referring to? Ask any English teacher. The subject Jesus is pointing to is “enduring love,” in the previous sentence. “Well Mike it says, “but the one who endures to the end he shall be saved. Why do you say enduring love?”

I say enduring love because love is what grows cold in the group Jesus is comparing the saved to. The enduring love of God is the saving power that delivers us. The love of God is what we show others as a witness to what God has done in us. Do we realize it was never just about the love we received? That love was a seed, an investment, a hope and a future God has held dear as He waited for a harvest from the field of our hearts.

The original text from Young;s Literal translation reads this way. ” …but he who did endure to the end, he shall be saved; and this good news of the reign shall be proclaimed in all the world, for a testimony to all the nations; and then shall the end arrive.”

Enduring love is the premier characteristic of the kingdom and of our Christ. Love reigns in the kingdom. Within love is grace, forgiveness, patience, kindness, mercy, compassion, the fruits of the Spirit, (Gal 5:22) all of which function as laws within the Law of the Spirit of Life found in Romans 8:1-2. Is that law at work in us now, setting us free? If so, it will continue to do so in eternity. THIS is why our demonstrating a proficiency (Christ likeness) here, makes our entrance there possible. Because of my pledge of allegiance to Jesus as Lord, if I lack love, grace, forgiveness, patience, kindness, mercy, compassion, the fruits of the Spirit, then I shall not receive them again from God. He gave them freely to me when I was reconciled to Him through the death of Jesus. All this was just so I could distribute them freely, glorifying Christ and His selfless love. My enacting these laws of Christ was always supposed tobenefit me first with a view of eternity. This is the message of enduring love that Jesus pointed to and said “shall” be preached. Until it is, souls are in jeopardy that are not aware of their eternal life threatening condition. This is why I beg you to forward this message to all you know. Pray that men of great influence will take up this standard with profound enthusiasm and conviction.

As we prepare by practice, we die to self in little things daily. Growing, we die to greater things as time passes. Like a doctor, we become more and more accomplished. We become more and more like Christ.

Should the day come where we must stand and deliver our relentless witness for Christ, we will be prepared to “love not our lives even unto death.” We will know our Lord waits for us and the many we helped prepare for this worse case scenario.

Those centuries we have spent leading the unsaved to God, thinking that is what this verse told us to do, were not wasted! There are plenty of scriptures telling us to share Jesus. Just not this one. “Go onto all the world and preach the gospel” is spoken by Jesus in Mark 16:15. Is there any doubt He means more than tell them about “Me?” There clearly was more to His message, the Gospel, than “ask me into your heart.” Doing so is only the beginning but we have missed this! I believe this is why Jesus inspired Paul personally. God has used us to bring people to a possibility of salvation as they are reconciled through Jesus and His death. Jesus and Paul are saying there is more.

We must admit we have somehow known that more was required of us than a simple confession inviting Him to save us. Our reconciliation was the beginning. The life of Jesus, what He taught and demonstrated saves us; according to Paul in Romans 5:10. Our obedience to His ways is required according to John 3:36 NASB. “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. ”

The book Exit Strategy covers all this in-depth and many of the scriptures that will help us help ourselves and others be saved and avoid damnation via the Apostasy.

Where are we in time? “The fourth angel sounded and a third of the sun and a third of the moon and a third of the stars were struck, so that a third of them would be darkened and the day would not shine for a third of it, and the night in the same way. Then I looked and I heard an eagle flying in mid-heaven, saying with a loud voice “Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!” Revelations 8:12-13 NASB.

In Revelations I believe the first three angels are the first and second world wars and the third is the nuclear disaster at Chernobyl Russia (Wormwood). Of course these are speculations even though the third is pretty specific. The world still does not know the ongoing effects of this disaster.

The fourth angel speaks of days and nights being one-third shorter. I think we all have felt like the days have become shorter although the clocks remain steady. Midway in the verse, it refers to an eagle saying “Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth,” warning them.

I believe this is the same warning you find in Exit Strategy. These are God’s Words that will awaken and empower some to survive all to come. Since our government has separated itself from God and many of our citizens are voting against Godly principles, I believe the church in America is the single Eagle that will embrace this calling and warn as well as witness to the nations of the earth. Much of the church around the world will heed and prepare.

This is a distressing message! The time has come. We MUST get past the distress and denial. There is no Egypt for us to go back to. We are in the current of flowing prophecy. We must embrace our prophesied future and trust in that future of righteousness. Jesus trusted. We too are to be those without spot or blemish, holy and blameless! “We must be willing to die before we die, to live after we have lived!”

I call to you as a guardian. You too can be a guardian of souls that are in jeopardy. Many worked hard and died to evangelize them. Let us not forsake them now. All who claim to be Christians must be made aware of what God expects of us. Enduring love is our salvation, as Christ showed us from the cross. It must be preached. We must learn to avoid the pitfalls of our Exit Strategy. The book contains much more help.

Pray for a heart to courageously share this message. Pray, for those who reject this message outright. DO NOT SPEAK OTHERWISE about them! You may be the seed planter or the one who waters from the pulpit. There is prophecy for those who emphatically reject the Spirit who calls to them in love, to love, as they were loved.

Please consider reading all the postings.

Please..spread this to others around the world. Once preached, “then the end will come.”

There were two kinds of sin upon Jesus that day. They added up to an almost insurmountable mountain of soul crushing lethal burden. What happened to all of those sins?”

So how does the sacrificial Lamb of God escape the law of sin and death? He is sin at that point. We all know the story. We should see that there are two goals for the Son of Man, not one. The second one He cannot avoid. It is physical death to satisfy the Law for us. The first goal is to show us the Way to eternal life. So before dying what did He show us?

Jesus as the Son of Man rightfully could have condemned mankind. Right is not always righteous. Had Jesus killed us like we kill others, with Words of His mouth (heart), the Father’s plan for mankind would have collapsed.

Thankfully the plan did not end with Jesus’ intercessory death. It began! We see a critical test taking place. It is not a test of Jesus the Son of God but a test of us as Jesus the Son of Man represents us. Oh the glorious potential we have!

So what did He show us? Nailed to the Cross Jesus says, “Forgive them Father they know not what they do!” He not only forgives, He intercedes! In hindsight we revere this grace from Him. We know it is the beginning of His intercessions for mankind. For centuries we have attached this act to His divine origin, separating it from his (and our) earthly limiting existence. The divine in origin was always intended to be spiritually applied but can not apply in agreement with carnality. The Son of Man, obediently applied this grace even while suffering! Dying first to His human rights, the Word of God that He taught us then applied to Him because He was a real human. He is proving to us our potential, our likeness to Him first here and then as eternal brothers and sisters. As it was to Him, it is our deliverance, our key to the narrow gate of eternity!

Jesus has endured unbelievable pain and maybe worse, rejection. What do you do when you are rejected? What do you do when you feel ripped off by someone, insulted to your face by someone, physically accosted by someone, or someone threatens your security on purpose? At the heart of it all is rejection. I have learned that instinctively, rejection rejects. In relational conflicts most are experiencing rejection or actions masked as rejection. Often we push back. The enemy knows this. This will never happen in heaven! We cannot smuggle this reactionary response into heaven. We must empty ourselves of this carnality.

I absolutely believe when Jesus forgave us of everything, all the sins He bore for mankind vaporized! As He forgave He was forgiven. Matthew 6:14-15 (NASB) The death Christ first died, superseded the death He died physically. His dying to self by compassionately forgiving the sins perpetrated against Him protected Him! His grace set us free to potentially be saved because He did not retain our sins against Him.

Nothing was left (in Jesus’ heart) for the devil to point to. Nothing was left for the Word of God to judge! If we forgive, if we forgive all others FROM OUR HEARTS, there is nothing for the Word of God to judge except to find us without spot of blemish, holy and blameless! If we pursue peace with all men, it sets us apart, we will see God! (Hebrews 12:14) Once reconciled to God, (Romans 5:10) our personal sins going forward are covered by the Christ like forgiveness we grant others. Resurrection life was His reward. It will be ours also if we exercise the same discipline Jesus did.

“We must die before we die, to live after we have lived.” jme

Once, I believe forgiven, Jesus was left for six more hours? He wondered why? Next post we will talk of another example He set for our benefit and what He may have shown God, what He may have forgotten, that delayed His departure.

You are loved and being guarded. Guard others likewise and invite all, as we are leading up to how “We initiate the return of Christ.”

Review: “What do you mean Mike? Are you calling Jesus a sinner??? NO way!!!! This is the last post I will read man, you are WAY off base.”

Your reverence for Christ is well placed.” “He has shown us a potential within us that He as the Son of Man was destined to teach and then show the sons of men. That potential will save us!”

Jesus had to become sin and suffer the Passion to show mankind how to use the most important key to the kingdom. We see Jesus the sinless (Hebrews 4:15), who emptied Himself of all that heaven meant to Him in order to be with us and make “all things possible” between us and God. Romans 8:3 says His Father sent Him (Jesus) “in the likeness of sinful flesh.”

God saw potential in us that our sinful flesh hides. God hid His Son in that same flesh, hiding the fullness of Deity for a purpose. Jesus dying to satisfy the Law for us was a legal matter achieved because the Devil underestimated the power of the Holy Spirit working in a Son of Man. Jesus living was to reveal and unlock our potential, it was the key to our second chance. I said potential. The sons of man, by the Holy Spirit are able also, if they will, to achieve the same reward as Christ!

As the Son of God, Jesus did not have to prove anything. As the Son of Man He came to heal our impaired judgment, to teach and prove the truth to us. These things will save us! Things that can come from within us. How? Is the kingdom of God within us! It is, if His teachings are! If they are then kingdom characteristics will be exhibited generously by us as kingdom citizens, even though we are here for a season.

What do we know about those characteristics? Ask Jesus. The good news of the kingdom was the core of all He shared. Why was that important? Qualifiers! If this then that. Like the laws of physics, gravity, thermodynamics, if this then that. God throughout the ages and Christ often told us, to get this you must do that, or do not do this or you will get that! These laws require our obedience either way. This is not works. I cannot flap my arms fast enough to fly! There is a law that will work for me. Same here.

To enter the kingdom I must qualify myself through all that Jesus taught. “Whoa Mike that doesn’t sound like good news!” In fact Jesus qualified Himself as the Son of Man, by implementing the laws of the good news of the kingdom, proving His citizenship, gaining resurrected life, AND He proved our potential by achieving it Himself!

How did Jesus do it? What if Jesus died a death, before He gave up His physical life, before commending His Spirit unto the Father? What if one death superseded the other, robbing death of its power over our spirit/soul man? What if the death Jesus chose first functions like the law of lift which can prevail over the law of gravity?

Paul speaks of a conflicting separation between his flesh man and his spirit man in Romans 7 & 8. The Word says our flesh will not inherit the kingdom, concluding that only our soul/spirit man can. Paul speaks of the Law of the Spirit of Life in Romans 8:2. This law defeats or supersedes the law of sin and death, the law of condemnation. However a point we seem to have missed is that Romans 8:2 must be at work in us, setting us free, for Romans 8:1 to apply to us. This Law of the Spirit of Life was functioning in the Lord’s life. What “heading” do we think all of His teachings fell under?

Let’s consider a practical question. Have you ever wondered where all those sins went?

There were two kinds of sin upon Jesus that day. Second came all of mankind’s sins which the Father intended for Him to bear. First, came all the sins we perpetrated upon the Son of Man that day, sins meant to stop God’s plan! We saw false accusations, unjust punishment, false imprisonment, condemnation, rejection, and more. They all added up to an almost insurmountable mountain of soul crushing lethal burden. What happened to all of those sins?

Learn of our potential, gain a heart of accomplishment if pursuing Christ likeness means anything to you. Survive the lawlessness that is here and the escalating Godlessness that is represented by the red skies these mornings.

The time has come, guard others as you are guarded, receive the Word hidden for such a time as this. Awake! Embrace your distress. It holds a discipline that rescues you and others you will lead.

“Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.”

Daniel 12:3

Serving Him as I serve you beloved,

Michael

Please alert others around the world, He waits.

“Acts 3:20-21 (NASB77)“… and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you, 21 whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time. “ (Review this in Acts for further understanding.)

What Christ actually spoke must be restored to our absolute commitment. That which He spoke about our involvement in His return must now come to light, even though it invites darkness. Fear not oh righteous ones, the darkness is no more than the dimming of the theater lights, a prelude to Christ’s triumphant entrance and an utterly victorious scene foretold for centuries!

John said this in “John 3:36 (NKJV, NASB) “36 He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”

Paul said this in Roman’s 1:5 speaking of Jesus. “Through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles, for His name’s sake…”

Compare both above to this verse from Romans 5:10 (NKJV, NASB) “10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. “

Paul is pointing to a two-fold experience with Jesus and Father God just like John was. Paul is saying our being “saved” as we have called it, is actually our “reconciliation” to God by the Lord’s sacrificial death. Paul continues by saying we will actually be saved (future tense) by “His life.” Christ’s “life” is what we know of Him. Paul means we are to be saved at a future point by our implementation from now until then; by the Father’s teachings through Jesus, by our living out the Lord’s responses to how He was treated especially just before and from the cross. This is the “life” of Jesus. It is to be ours also.

This two-fold idea shakes our foundations but they need to be shaken. These scriptures have always been there. Any assumption on our part that our salvation is already a done deal leaves us unprepared to resist the very troubling and distracting events we are already seeing. The lawlessness to come will become far worse. We know our love toward others is already growing cooler as we watch the evening news, wondering “What the heck is going on?” We are angry over the state of our nation. Again it all is a scheme of the Devil, a deadly offense meant to cause us to poison ourselves. Unforgiveness is like drinking poison, and expecting someone else to die!

Jesus told us what is going on. He warned us not to be troubled by it. “But Lord!”

He who is forewarned is forearmed. Armed with what? What was Jesus armed with?

The Love of God was sent into this world not to sustain this lost and dying world but to maintain the eternal life of the souls that would grasp love’s eternal life saving power, sustaining THEM as long as necessary. While training us to maintain, God is also preparing us for entrance into eternity and the kingdom of His beloved Son. Jesus did not simply pay a price and that was it.

Oh God let us see the most positive focal-point of the event was Christ’s last act. He emptied Himself by forgiving, by interceding for us. We must also do as Jesus did, to enter the kingdom. We must rid ourselves of anything that is of this world. What things? Those spiritually paralyzing things which we know will not be in heaven. What a key to the kingdom. If we know anger, bitterness and unforgiveness will not be there, we know…it must not be in us, in our heart, in our soul and spirit!

We look at Jesus and revere Him. Jesus was trying to show us the kingdom! He came preaching the gospel of the kingdom. Dying, literally or dying to self centered self, at face value is not good news unless it leads to something far better. Wars have been fought and men have died to protect something they considered far greater than themselves. Jesus was no different. His life and death for us made possible our entrance into the kingdom. He taught us then died to this world but didn’t really die because He implimented the Words of eternal life. We are to learn this and then die daily to this life and maybe also die literally, but like Him, never die. His life examples, The Way, makes that eternal life possibility a reality for us if we embrace The Way obediently. Obedience is a distressful reality. We all know that obedience has been difficult.

Paul is saying our salvation is not achieved just because Jesus died. He is saying we are freely “reconciled” when we believe Jesus died for us and we ask Him to be Lord over our lives. Paul then says there is more to it. Whoa Mike, Jesus plus what? Dear friend Paul is saying Jesus plus Jesus.

Assuming you have asked Him to be Lord at all, many have long believed that was our part of the deal, because, Jesus did everything. Look, Jesus did what we could not do so we could do what He said to do. “You are my friends if you do what I command you.” John 15:14 Jesus has this expectation of us, and He and the Father are one!

The eternal question then is this. Have we obediently (John 3:36) let Him be Lord? “Mike this is very discouraging. God knows we all struggle (and fail) to do that.” Yes He does and praise God He has made provision. WE however must grasp the Spirit of that provision and implement it obediently.

We made a pledge that if God would forgive us through Jesus, that we would gratefully make Him Lord of our lives. To dispel the “works” question, God freely forgives us, cleanses, and receives us with a view toward our future entrance. God however fully expects us to keep our word to Him. He keeps His Word to us. God knows and shared through Jesus what is required to prepare us for eternal life. “Well Mike, we sin in word thought and deed daily. How can we maintain our relationship with God?” Dear friend, we are looking at our failures. We must look at the Lord’s success. The Father has made a Way where there was no Way. We do it the way Jesus the Son of Man did it!

“What do you mean Mike? Are you calling Jesus a sinner??? NO way!!!! This is the last post I will read man, you are WAY off base.” Your reverence for Christ is well placed. Let your appreciation for Him rise to another level in the next post. Jesus (legally) became sin for our sake and yet rose from the dead gloriously. He has shown us a potential within us that He as the Son of Man was destined to show the sons of men. That potential will save us! We however must impliment it.

Do I really believe? What does “believe” mean? (Continued from “End Times: The time has come. The Storm is coming.”

In John 3:36 NASB and NKJV, it says, “If you believe on the Lord you have eternal life, if you do not obey the Son you do not have life but the wrath of God rests upon you!”

Holy cow you say! ” In the KJV the first part is the same. The second part says, ” if you do not “believe” the Son you do not have life and the wrath of God rests upon you.” “I believe in Him and I believe Him too.”

Right. My point exactly. We have seen the same word, been taught the same word but in the original text the word “believe” is two different words. (John 3:36 KJV, but NASB and NKJV [are different.]

The first “believe” is “Pisteuo” which means to entrust. (Strong’s G4100If I give my life savings to a financial counselor, I am saying, I trust You and will literally follow your counsel, risking all that is precious to me. This is why we gain eternal life. Our Way to eternity is determined by our Counselor and we agree to submit to Him.

The second “believe” in the KJV is the word “apeitheo.” (Strong’s G544) This word gives us the word apathetic. In the Greek it means to be disobedient or to disobey, unbelieving, obey not, believe not).

John is pointing to a discipline that has been cast aside as some sort of works. Not so. Obedience does not purchase anything, it maintains what you have. It maintains your reconciled relationship with God. More on that soon.

Remember the rebellion in heaven? Lucifer and 1/3 of the angels were cast down to the earth. Do you think there will ever be a rebellion in heaven again? Why would God populate His Son’s kingdom with a rebellious lot? Right…He wouldn’t.

The church is about to be awakened to the discipline of obedience. The Word says Jesus, yes that’s Jesus the Son of God, the Son of Man, “learned obedience by things that He suffered.”

The child of God obeys the Father and the things taught by Jesus, in His name. This is a maturing process that takes time but must eventually be “fruitful” or be demonstrated. This obedience proved the Lord’s submissive will to the Father and the Father’s plan to us. Jesus saw past now into the future and the joy set before Him. WE are that joy. Why us? Because He knows we will come to know Him and we too will learn discipline by the things which we suffer. Oh great Mike what an uplifting message. I am sure Jesus felt the same way in the Garden.

“Obey” is almost a bad word in church. Just remember, bad will be called good. The time has come for us to embrace what looks like bad and realize it is on the path to heaven. We must start to obey the Lord’s teachings now in order to have mastered them in the coming time of distress. As we daily pick up our cross, faithfully dying to self, we are willing ourselves unto Christ. To others we will remind them of Christ. There is a time coming when that act will save us. Jesus has spoken it.

So, when Jesus took that cross in our place, what was that to us? “It is eternal life! We are forgiven. It is salvation! We are saved forever!” Not quite according to John. Our first confession/submission to Christ does accomplish all that by God’s grace. It is all true because God is faithful to keep His end of the deal. John then implies there is a second half to the “deal.” He says our obedience is necessary or we “have no life but the wrath of God rests upon us.”

This is why “believing in Jesus” is not salvation. Entrusting ourselves obediently to His instructions, that, is our salvation. Our English vernacular for “believe” fails to express the critical factor of obedience. It is not works. It is obedience. It is a required discipline in heaven, to be demonstrated by us right here. Yes, right here! If Jesus had to demonstrate obedience, how can we not know it is required of us as His brothers and sisters? We have not been taught might be one reason we do not know.

Think about this. No doctrine intended here. Once Jesus came to earth, took upon Himself sinful flesh, even though He did not sin, is it possible even His “Son of Man” side had to be tested for absolute obedience? After all, the “Son of Man” was going back to heaven in a different form than when He left. He is coming back here to rule and reign for a thousand years! I am not saying His divinity had to be tested. The Word does say as a Son He learned obedience. I think He learned it so He as King of Kings could say to us in eternity, or even now, I’ve been there and done that, I understand.” This is a king we can honor. His judgment will be just because of this. He does not ask us to do anything He has not done or endured.

Did you not think there is a reason we are restricted to this earth? Those who enter into eternity will be wearing the red badge of self-denial, self-crucifixion, maybe even the bloody badge of a glorifying Christ like death. Can you imagine the look in the Lord’s eyes as He receives you, knowing you died as He died, even interceding for those who killed us, NO, who helped us “accomplish our departure.” (See Mark: The Mount of Transfiguration)

Next time we address Paul’s confirmation of John’s verse. Be prepared for an understanding that will shake your foundations. Just remember, I come to you in the spirit of Daniel 12. The message is distressing but it rescues those written in the book. Why do they need rescuing?